Process of treatment of straw, dried grasses, or the like for the production of articles of commerce.



L. CARRIE. PROCESS OF TREATMENT OF STRAW, DRIED GRASSES, 0R THE LIKE FORTHE PRODUCTION OF ARTICLES OF COMMERCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1910.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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INVENTOR:

L. CARRB.

PROCESS OF TREATMENT OF STRAW, DRIED GRASSES, OR THE LIKE FOR THEPRODUCTION OF ARTICLES OF COMMERCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 1910.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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PROCESS OF TREATMENT OF STRAW, DRIED GRASSES, OR THE LIKE FOR 'THEPRODUCTION OF ARTICLES OF COMMERCE. APPLIOATION FILED 11116.16, 1910.

PaLented'Jan. 9, 1912.

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M/mdm/ L, OARRE. PROCESS OF TREATMENT OF STRAW, DRIED GRASSES, OR THELIKE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ARTICLES OF COMMERCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1G. 1910.

1,014,566, Patented Jan.9, 1912.

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. Jig/J i b l N v ENTOR WITNE$5S "nu-"w S1 (2 mg UNITED STATES- PATENTOFFICE.

LOUIS CARE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

rnoonss or ramrmnnr or mm, DRIED Gmssns, on run-ma son. 'rnn rnonuc- Toall whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, LOUIS CARRn, citizen ofthe Republic of France, residing at No..- 24 Mark Lane, London, England,have invented a new or Improved Process of Treat- ,mentof Straw, DriedGrasses or the Like for the Production of Articles of Commerce, of whichthe following is a specification. T

This invention relates to a new or improvedprocess of treatment ofstraws, dried grasses or the like, whereby such material can be renderedsuitable for manufacture into various useful articles.

The process comprises essentially the longitudinal division ofthe-straws, grasses and the like into relatively narrowfilaments, and

other operations, the nature of which will be presently described. Thelike material has 'previously'been used in the manufacture of some ofthe substances which I ropose to produce but in the operations hit er--to, the materialha's'beencut into small short fragments whereas,according to the present invention, I conserve the cross strength of theraw material by preserving as much as possible its longitudinaldimension, and. I .expose the inner surfaces of the tubular walls of theraw material.

When intended for the manufacture of match-splints the material issoaked in melted hydro-carbon or other flammable substance either beforeor after the dividing operation, or alternatively still later in theprocess of manufacture, and also for the purpose of making suchmatch-splints or for the purpose of making thin or t ick boards, .alayerof the longitudinally divided material is impregnated with abinding. substance such as starch in the condition of a liquid,semi-fluid or as a dry powder, and :pressed between two sheets of paperor the like substance, and subsequently heated'and molded or flattenedunder pressure.

The operations are adapted to be performed in a more or less continuousmanner so that the match-splints produced thereby can be conveyed intoand assembled in a separated manner in preparation for soaking inflammable substance and subsequent dipping of the ends in igpitingpaste, as will presently be described y reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate the components of a. machine adapted to TIONOF ARTICLES OF COMMERCE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Application filed August16, 1910.Serial 110. 577,447.

Patented Jan. 9,1912.

carry out the described process in a semiautomatic manner.

In these drawings -Figure 1 is a side elevation of the portion of themachine whereby the stalks are assembled, crushed and cut intofilaments. Fig. 2 is a'plan of the same. Fig 3 is an endelevation, andFig. 4 1s a sectional elevation taken along a vertical plane through4-4; of 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the portion ofthemachine whereby a layer of filaments or other divided material isinclosed in an adhesive mannerbetween two sheets of paper or otherfabric and im regnated with a binding substance, the re comprising ahopper for the re-assemb ing of the filaments in the case in which theprevious produced stream of material is interrupte Fig. 6 is a sectionalelevation taken along the Vertical plane 6-6 of Fig. 5'. Fig. 7 1s aside elevation of the portion of the machine whereby the moldingoperation is performed, Fig. 8' showing, on an enlargedscale, a sectionof the molding plates emlployed in the moldi splints. ig. 9 is asectional b fevation and Fig. 10 is a plan of the: portion of themachine whereby'the layer of molded matchsplints is divided intoindividual splints,

laterally diverged and the surfaces thereof match:

carriers for dipping and equal lengths thereof cut off. Fig. 12 is-anend elevation of the same portion of the machine. Fig. .13 is asectional plan taken along a horizontal planethrough 13-13 of Fig. 12,and

14 shows a detail. The portion of the machine shown inFigs. 1 and 2 isdesigned to perform the operation of providing a continuous stream ofstraw or the like material so arranged in a layer that the individualstalks lie in the direction of the stream with their ends separated,

longitudinally, thecross section of the layer being as uniform aspossible.

Preparatory to placing the straw'into the machine it is gatheredtogether into bundles :orsheaves without binding and, if the strawtheheads or earsand' of stalks of fairly uniform length. The

bundles are then fed successively to the several compartments of a druma which serves to'define what may be described as the polarizedcondition of the stalks. From the compartments of a the stalks dropbetween the descending fin ers b of a belt I) which serve to divide eacbundle and promote the deposit of the stalks in a polarized condition onto a conveying band 0. The fingers protrude throughv slits formed in oneside of a trunk passage (l, which passage converges and subsequentlydiverges. The belt I) with,

fingers b may be provided in duplicate, the fingers of the second beltoverlappmg those of the first in an interposed manner. The conveyingband may advantageously be provided with upstanding spikes to conservethe width of the stream and assist in themaintenance ofthe polarityof'the stalks.

The stream passes under a compacting rollers are advantageously serratedlongitudinally to insure the propulsion of the stream between thecutters whereby the stalks are parted each into a plurality of} narrowlongitudinal filaments by passing between pairs of cutting rollers g gin suc-= cession, soformed that sharp edged projecting rings on oneelement of each pair en-i gages within ring-grooves formed inthe otherelement of the pair. 71. It are guides to constrain the stream to flowfrom one pair of rollers to the next in succession.

. The stream is now composed of filaments the original, stream isdeposited on the strip and, as a consolidated or molded product isrequired, the material passes to a contriv ance whereby it isimpregnated with a bind-' ing substance and laid between two adhesivesheets of paper. This operation is performed by a portion of the machineshown in Fig. 5 though this figureand Eig. 6 show also means forrestarting auniform stream of filaments produced; as above described andcut into lengths, the filaments being deposited in a polarized conditionwith their ends separated longitudinally. r

Th layeras it, leaves the cutting rollers g gor a newly assembled layerof filaments, is deposited on an endless band i which conveys a strip ofpaper 7' or the like fabric, to the upper surface of which an adhesiveis applied by a brush In the case in-which of paper the brush k isotherwise suitably situated and the hopper shown in Figs. 5

and 6 is omitted. As the layer of filaments to require transversesection 0 passes under the feeding .spoutk a binding substance is suplied 'to drop into, the interstices between t e filaments. In thedrawing it is indicated that the binding sub stance is in a liquid orsemi-fluid condition but it .may be in the form of powder whichissubsequently wetted, or the wetti may precede the deposit of thepowder. tarch is a suitable binding substance either in the form ofpowder, paste or a solution. After the deposit of the binding substancethe layer passes under a roller m around which is conveyed a secondstrip of pa er 7' the under surface of which is rendere adhesive by abrush If. The impregnated layer inclosed between two strips of paper isthen conveyed between a pair. of rollers n which squeeze the componentsof the layer into close contact.

The adhesive and the binding substance are shown as being deliveredthrough the same tank 0 through regulating. taps but this may be varied.

The operation of the portion of the machine shown in Fi s. 1-4 may berapid and perhaps that of Fig. 5 may be able to keep filaments andpreventingthe hopper from:

becoming-e10 ged. The filaments in dropping down. t e passages betweenadjacent partitions, which tpassages have each a sinuous shape, willbecome polarized. The next operation of moldingand consolidating thecomponents of the paper-inclosed layer and hardening the same by theevaporation of the moisture which is combinedwith the adhesive andbinding substance, while the'layer is under pressure, isnecessarily-slow, so that; if the preliminary operation is notinterrupted prior to impregnation with the binding substance, it

will be necessary to interrupt it prior to the present stage. Thisoperation is performed by passing the layer between two endless chainsof links 9 9 Fig.-- 7 which progress slowly within a chainber 'r, heatedby a radiators for example. During the transit between the components ofthe endlessqchains, 'thelinks of one; chain are forcibly pressed towardthose of the other by means of rollers t t which, bear on the backs ofthe links The surfaces of the links which make contact with theinterposed strip may be smooth when a flat board .is required, or may beshaped to any desired configuration when g a and are elastically forcedbysprings t}.

the flexible and moldable strip is required to take a special shape. Thesurfaces may for example be such as to produce a corrugated strip andwithal, the corrugated strip may be so otherwise molded as to form onehalf of an envelop to fit the outer surface of a bottle.

In Fig. 8 is shown in transverse section a pair of links, the surfacesof which are so prepared as to mold the strlp into. a plurality ofcylindrical splints whlch on emergin from the chamber are united by verythm fins. The heated chamber may be so lengthened that the stripundergoes a prelimlnary heating prior to entrance between the links ofthe chain, and also subsequently to emergence from the inclosing links.

Alternatively to molding the layer in a continuous manner as abovedescribed, it may be cut into lengths and pressed between a pair ofmolds by a press of ordinary description. As a further alternative thestrip may be'helically wound on a mandrel to compose a tube, and asecond helix may be adhesively wound around the first helix of oppositepitch or with the like pitch interspaced, and thus a tube of any lengthmay be produced to serve as a pipe or for other useful purpose. Thepurposeof the operation being the production of match-splints, the layerof fiIl-COIIIIGClE-Gd sphnts is then slit at the leading end byrevolving cutters u Figs. 9 and 10, after which it may pass directlyunder a guillotine adapted to cut the splints into required lengthssuitable for matches, and treated in the manner at present employed forwooden matches. Alternatively to this, the leading slitted end of thelayer of splints pass through one or more divergers o v and betweenpairs of propelling rollers w w and through the orifices of a perforatedplate 'w to scrape and clean the surfaces and then on to an assemblingcont-rivance, Figs. 11-13, whereby the leading ends of the divergedsplints are inserted between distance pieces 00 in layers within a framey so as to project from the frame to the extent of about half the lengthof the match. After assembly, the splints are out 01f by the guillotinez.

A mechanism for interposing the distance pieces :1; taken from thehopper 1 is shown in Fig. 11 by 2. The frames are displacedprogressively downward by spur-wheels 3 3 the teeth of which gear withapertures formed in the sides of the frames. The frames filled withmatch splints, are then passed to be soaked in combustible liquid to theextent of about half their length, after which the extremities aredipped into igniting paste.

The operation described as being per formed by the portion of themachine shown in Fig. 5, whereby a layer of divided material impregnatedwith a binding substance pressure and heat into boards.

and inclosed in an adhesive manner between strips of paper and the likefabric may be produced, may be employed to manufacture a correspondinglayer with any other interposed dlvided material such'as hemp, wool oreven sawdust. Moreover the layer may be composed of a series of strataof filaments or fibers deposited in a manner to cross one another. Forthispurpose a'succession of hoppers, constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and6, may be employed in which the planes of the corrugated partitions arevariously inclined to the line of travel of the conveying belt. Byadding adhesive material between each layer, a thick board with crossingfibers can be built up and subsequently consolidated under heat andpressure.

I claim:

' 1. For the production of' a rigid consolidated product from straw orthe like mater1al a process consisting in arranging longitudmally thestraw or the like, crushing same, cutting same into longitudinalfilaments, lmpregnating same with a starchy substance and consolidatingsame under pressure and heat.

2. For the production of a rigid consolidated product from straw or thelike material, a process consisting in arranging longitudlnally thestraw or the like, crushing same, cutting same into longitudinalfilaments, impregnating same with a starchy substance and consolidatingsame under 3. For the production of match-splints from straw or the likematerial, a process consistlng 1n arranging longitudinally the straw orthe like, crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments,impregnating same witha starchy substance, consolidating and moldingsame under pressure and heat into boards consisting of fin-connectedsplints and laterally separating said splints.

4:. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same 1nto longitudinal filaments, impregnatingsame w1th a starchy substance, consolidating and molding same underpressure and heat into boards consisting offin-connected splintslaterally separating said splints and .cutting said splints into uniformlengths.

5. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnatingsame w1th astarchy substance, consolidating and moldlng same underpressure and heat intoboards consisting of fin-connectedsplintslaterally separating said ,splint's, cutting said splints into uniform.lengths and assembling said splints .in superposed separated layers.

6. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnatinsame w1th a binding substance and conso idating and molding same underpressure into boardsconsisting of fin-connected splints.

7. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnatingsame with a binding substance and consolidating and molding same underpressure andheat' into boards consisting of fin-connected splints.

8. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnatingsame with a binding substance, consolidating and molding same underpressure into boards consisting of fin-connected splints and laterallyseparating said splints.

.9. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the .straw or the like,cru shing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnatingsame with a binding substance, consoli dating and molding same underpressure and heat into boards consisting of fin-connected splintsandlaterally separating said splints.

10. For the production of match-splints from straw or the like material,a process consisting .in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnatingsame with abinding substance, conlengt ing same with a bindingsubstance, consolidating and moldin same under pressure and heat intoboar s consisting of fin-connected splints, laterally separating saidsplings and cutting said splints into uniform s. 12. For the productionof match-splints from straw or 'the like material, a process consistingin arranging longitudinally the straw or the like, crushing same,cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impregnating same w1th "abinding substance, consolidating and molding same under pressure intoboards consisting of fin-connected splints, laterally separating saidsplints, cutting said splints into uniform lengths and assemblingseparated layers.

13. For the production of match-splintsfrom straw or the like material,a process consisting in arranging longitudinally the straw or the like,crushing same, cutting same into longitudinal filaments, impreg natingsame with a binding substance, consolidating and molding same underpressure and heat into boards consistin of finconnected splints,laterally separatmg said splints, cutting said splints mto uniform LOUISOARRE. Witnesses:

H. W. WAeHoRN, H. O. JAMIsoN.

said splints in superposed

